1

I sat on my new bed with my head in my hands. Horrible memories kept on floating back into my mind. Like when Dad told us about my Mom's death. And saying goodbye to Tuck and Sam.

Mom had taught me to be active when I was feeling bad. It always worked for me. So I reluctantly stood up and walked out of my dormitory. I heard many voices coming from the student lounge. There were groups of kids all over the room. Some were watching TV, some were playing board games, and one girl was even working on some hunk of metal with a screwdriver. I started walked toward her.

Lots of girls giggled when I passed by. I don't know why, but in by old school all the girls were kind of crazy over me. Huh. Girls.

I reached the girl. She had long, brown hair in these weird braids. She was wearing glasses and kept on scrunching up her nose so they would stop drooping.

"Um...hi," I said uncertainly. The girl looked up.

"I'm Danny. I was wondering what you were working on," I asked her. She stared at me for a bit. I kept on smiling, trying not to lose my patience.

"I - I'm Quinn. This - this is a brain channel. It allows a person to channel their minds into someone else's brain," she answered. I stared at her. Brain Channel?

"Uh...that's interesting," I said. I was really weirded out by this "invention".

"Yeah...I have to go," I said quickly. I turned around and started back towards my dorm.

When I was right in front of the door, I changed my mind. I instead went to my sister, April's, dorm. I knocked on her door. No one answered. So I turned the knob and entered the room.

I saw April lying on her bed, her headphones on her ears. I could just hear a soft melody playing on the walkman. April's eyes were closed and she seemed to be concentrating. April is very in touch with music.

When she saw me in the doorway, she stood up so fast that her walkman was knocked to the floor.

"What are you doing here!" exclaimed April.

"I came to see you. I was...lonely..." I said, looking down. April sat back on her bed.

"I hate this place. We don't belong here," she said, tucking in her knees.

"But Dad said this is only temporary. That he will send for us when he gets a better paying job."

"Dad wanted to get rid of us. He doesn't want us," I looked at April. All her life she has had her tongue. The one that got her in trouble and the one that spoke what sometimes was not true. But this time I could not help but wonder if she was telling the truth this time...

"So, how are things going with you?" April asked. I shrugged.

"Nothing much has happened. I met this weird girl named Quinn. She was working on something called a brain channel," I answered.

"Brain channel!" exclaimed April. I nodded. We both laughed out of our seats laughing, having no idea that someone was listening in on our conversation.

I was on my way to dinner. I spotted a group of kids heading down as well. One their were two boys, a really cute blonde girl, a dangerous looking girl, and a girl who was flattening down her hair - and Quinn.

I watched Quinn breakaway from the group and walk toward me.

"Hi, Danny," she said. I fake-smiled and waved at her. She looked somewhat upset.

"Listen, Danny. I heard you and your sister teasing me," said Quinn. My mouth dropped open.

"Quinn - it's not what you think. We - we weren't making fun of you - "

"That's okay, Danny. I know lot's of people do it. It's no big deal," and with that, Quinn walked away.